Hand sheller for green peas



March 13, 1962 F. c. WADE 3,024,791

HAND SHELLER FOR GREEN PEAS Filed Nov, 27, 1959 F ares! 6. Wade 1N VIENTOR BY @wm nitecl States Fatent @ffice 3,024,791 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 3,924,791 HAND EEHELLER FUR GREEN PEAS Farest C. Wade, Rte. 4, Cumming, Ga. Filed Nov. 2.7, 1959. Ser. No. 855,645 Claims. ((11. 130-30) The present invention generally relates to a device for use in assisting in the preparation of vegetables and especially green peas and more particularly relates to a hand operated shelling device for green peas.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a hand operated green pea sheller having several novel features including a centralizing device for centralizing the green peas as they are forced into the shelter, a pair of oppositely disposed blades with each blade having a depth guard thereon for controlling the depth of penetration of the blade and also acting as a centralizer for the green peas and a structure for adjusting the position of the blades for permitting more effective shelling of peas of different sizes.

As is well known, certain varieties of green peas are generally larger than other varieties and the adjustment of the blades allows the pea sheller of the present invention to be most efficiently employed with these different varieties of green peas. The depth guard on the adjustable blades allows the shells or hulls of the peas to be slit but reduces any damage to the peas themselves to an absolute minimum. The centralizing device is generally in the form of a rubber Washer or the like having some what of an elliptical opening which acts as a centralizer for the green peas as they enter the sheller with their also being provided setscrews disposed in opposition to each other and spaced circumferentially from the blades for further centralizing the green peas as they proceed past the blades.

Another feature of the present invention enables it to be readily converted from a hand model to a table model device which may be supported by a suitable stand and which allows the blades to be easily removed for cleaning, replacement or sharpening.

Another important feature of the present invention is to provide a hand pea sheller which is extremely simple in construction, easy to use, efiicient in operation and generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded group perspective view illustrating the components of the pea sheller of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the pea sheller with portions thereof broken away illustrating the structure for holding the adjustable blades in position and also illustrating the structure of the setscrews for centralizing the green peas as they proceed past the blades;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view taken from the side from which the peas are inserted illustrating the centralizing features of the device; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating one of the blade holders which forms a depth guard for the blade.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the pea shelling device or pea sheller of the present invention which includes a generally rectangular body generally designated by numeral 12 which rectangular body may be constructed of any suitable material such as wood, plastic or the like with the entrance side thereof having inclined portions 14 which incline inwardly so that the inclined surfaces 14 generally provide a guide for the peas for guiding them into a centrally disposed bore 16 which extends from the inclined entrance surface of the body to a discharge surface 18.

Communicating with the discharge surface 18 and the end surfaces of the block 12 is a pair of slots 20 and 22 each of which communicate with the bore 16 and each of which has an inclined bottom 24. The bottom 24 extends in an inclined manner from the outer end of the inclined surface 14 to a position spaced from the discharge surface 18. The inclination of the surfaces 24 is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Disposed in each of the slots 20 and '22 is a cutting blade 26 and a holder therefor generally designated by 28. The holder 28 is of U-shaped construction including legs 30 and 32 interconnected by a bight portion 34. The bight portion 34 has a notch 36 formed therein and the corner edges of the legs 30 and 32 are rounded and cutoff as designated by numeral 38. The blade 26 may be of any suitable construction with the device being capable of holding razor blades of either the single edge or double edge variety. With double edge blades, the four corners of the blade may be employed for use in shelling the peas. The blade 26 is placed in the holder 28 with the sharpened corner 40 thereof projecting beyond the rounded corner edge 38 of the legs 30 and 32 of the holder 28. Thus, the rounded edge 38 form a depth guard for the sharpened corner 40 since the hull of the pea being shelled will engage the rounded corner 38 and thus prevent further penetration of the blade 40 since the diametrically opposed rounded edges 38 will generally centralize the pea and eliminate damage to the peas within the hull which would occur if the peas within the hull were cut.

The blade and blade holder assemblies are placed in the slots 20 and 22 and are adjustably held in position by a clamp screw 42 which extends through the outer corners of the block adjacent the discharge surface 18. The clamp screws 42 are provided with recessed nuts 44- and recessed heads 46 whereby a suitable instrument such as a screwdriver may be employed for tightening and loosening the clamp screws 42 thus collapsing and releasing the walls of the slot 20 for locking and unlocking the blade and holder assembly in adjusted position. The material from which the body is constructed permits sufficient flexibility to rigidly clamp the blade and blade holder in position.

The body 12 is also provided with a pair of setscrews 43 extending into the bore 16 in diametrically opposed relation to each other and perpendicular to the slots 20 and 22 as well as the blades 26. Each of the setscrews 498 is provided with a projecting reduced end 5% and a headed end 52 for receiving a suitable screwdriver like tool or the like with the setscrew being received within a countersunk bore 54 so that it will not project beyond the outer surface of body 3.2. By adjusting the position of the setscrews 48 and specifically the projecting reduced end 50, it will be seen that the peas will be centralized more effectively as they pass between the sharpened corners 4!) of the blade '26 since the setscrews 48 are slightly inwardly of the sharpened corner edges 40.

For centralizing the peas as they are inserted into the block 12, there is provided a rubber washer 56 having an elliptical opening 58. The washer 56 is disposed within a counterbore 60 at the entrance end of the bore 16 and is held in place by a retaining plug 62 which is annular and provided with a circular opening 64. The

major axis of the elliptical opening 58 is parallel to a diametric line extending between the setscrews 48 and this washer will effectively centralize the peas as they are inserted into the sheller without causing a great deal of friction or resistance to insertion of the peas.

Note that the distance from the entrance surface to the discharge surface of the body 12 is relatively small and this accomplishes the purpose of eliminating friction or binding of crooked peas as they are drawn through the device. The device may be grasped by hand or it may be disposed in a holder enerally designated by numeral 66 which includes a handle 68 and a channel-shaped socket-like member 70 slidably and frictionally receiving the body 12 with the socket having cut-outs 72 for exposing the bore 16 for permitting insertion of and removal of the peas.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pea sheller comprising a body having a generally centrally disposed bore extending therethrough and forming a passage for pea hulls, a pair of diametrically opposed blades extending into the bore for slitting pea hulls as they are forced through the bore, means at the entrance end of the bore for centralizing the pea hulls as they enter the bore, said means including a flexible resilient washer having an opening therein of smaller size than the bore for centralizing the pea hulls as they enter the bore, and a pair of setscrews having reduced end portions extending into the bore at diametrically opposed positions and in perpendicular relation to the blades, said setscrews being longitudinally spaced from the washer and disposed adjacent the portion of the blades projecting into the bore for engaging and centralizing the pea hulls as they pass between the blades, the opening in the washer being elliptical-shaped with the major axis thereof paralleling said setscrews.

2. A pea sheller comprising a body having a generally centrally disposed bore extending therethrough and forming a passage for pea hulls, a pair of diametrically opposed blades extending into the bore for slitting pea hulls as they are forced through the bore, means at the entrance end of the bore for centralizing the pea hulls as they enter the bore, said means including a flexible resilient washer having an opening therein of smaller size than the bore for centralizing the pea hulls as they enter the bore, each of said blades being provided with a substantially U-shaped holder receiving the blade, said holder extending into the bore and forming a depth guard for the portion of the blade extending into the bore thereby limiting the insertion of the blade into the pea hull and for centralizing the pea hull as it proceeds past the blades and also preventing damage to the peas within the hull, said body being provided with a pair of diametrically opposed slots receiving the blades and blade holders with the slots having an inclined bottom surface inclined upwardly and towards the direction of discharge of the pea hulls whereby the bottom of the slot engages the bottom edge of the holder and positions the blade holder and blade in an inclined manner with only the corner of the blade projecting into the bore, said holder having a rounded corner edge for exposing the corner of the blade and forming the depth guard for the corner of the blade.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 together with clamp screw members extending through said body outwardly of said blades and holders for collapsing the slot into clamping engagement with the blades and blade holders for retaining the blades and blade holders in ad justed position for permitting the corners of the blades to slit diiferent size pea hulls.

4. The structure as defined in claim 2 together with a socket-like member frictionally receiving said body, a handle extending from said member, said member including recessed areas in the side walls thereof for exposing both ends of the bore for permitting insertion of and discharge of peas being shelled.

5. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said body is provided with inclined surfaces on the entrance side thereof for forming a guide surface for guiding pea hulls into the bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,267 Walker Sept. 24, 1957 

